Winning weekend for Elites’ Steffen, Gomez and Appleton
Switzerland’s Caroline Steffen recorded her fifth consecutive win over the half distance at Ironman 70.3 Mandurah, Australia as she improved on last year’s runner- up position, leading out of the swim all the way to the finish line where she stopped the clock more than five minutes ahead of her nearest rival.
Steffen unbeaten over the distance this year clinched the title and her 20th career 70.3 victory.
“I’m glad to come back here this year and get the win,” she said. “I had a perfect day today, that doesn’t happen very often.”
Terenzo Bozzone chased hard all day and claimed third place in Mandurah, while Luke Bell finished in sixth.
After three days of races staged across different formats, Javier Gomez emerged as champion of the inaugural Island House Triathlon in the Bahamas, as the Spaniard and first person to achieve five ITU world titles added another trophy to his cabinet by logging the fastest combined times from an individual time-trial triathlon, draft-legal Olympic Enduro, and a non-drafting sprint distance race and picked up $60,000 from the prize pot.
“I gave my best and I’m sure the others did as well. We are professionals and when we get on a start line, we race hard,” he said.
“Can’t be happier finishing the season this way -- victory at the Island House Triathlon! What an amazing and unique event!”
Gomez also won the fastest overall swim and run prizes. Fellow Bahrain Endurance athlete Ben Hoffman finished sixth place overall, backing up well after his exploits at the XTERRA World Championship and the Ironman World Championship.
Australian Sam Appleton’s victory at Ironman 70.3 in Austin, US started when on the hunt out of the swim, led off the bike, and ran a sub 1 hour 15 minute half-marathon to win by more than a minute. He adds this title to the two he has already won this year at Cairns and Vineman against the likes of two-time Ironman 70.3 world champion Craig Alexander, showing he is one to watch out for over the half distance.
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